• ABOUT
    • Policies and Refunds
    • ABOUT US
    • FAQ
    • Testimonials
    • COVID-19 POLICY
    • REVIEWS
  • TRAINING
    • CLASSES
    • COACHING
    • AUDITION TAPING
    • SHOP
  • SHOP
  • RESOURCES
    • Seattle Area Talent Agents
    • NW Casting Directors
    • Headshots with David
    • Blog
    • Links!
  • PODCAST
  • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • MY ACCOUNT

    Shopping Cart

    No products in the cart.

    Sign in
    • ABOUT
      • Policies and Refunds
      • ABOUT US
      • FAQ
      • Testimonials
      • COVID-19 POLICY
      • REVIEWS
    • TRAINING
      • CLASSES
      • COACHING
      • AUDITION TAPING
      • SHOP
    • SHOP
    • RESOURCES
      • Seattle Area Talent Agents
      • NW Casting Directors
      • Headshots with David
      • Blog
      • Links!
    • PODCAST
    • CONTACT
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • MY ACCOUNT

    Tag: Jason Bennett

    Actor Vernacular

    This is by no means exhaustive, but below are some words and phrases that you will want to be familiar with as an actor: Given…

    David April 11, 2013
    0 Comments
    Mighty Tripod is an on-camera acting studio and film production company
    © 2023 - MIGHTY TRIPOD PRODUCTIONS - Powered by Monster Development
    • Home
    • Reviews
    • Map
    • Contact

    Forum Description

    This is by no means exhaustive, but below are some words and phrases that you will want to be familiar with as an actor:
    • Given Circumstances.
    • Through-Line of Action.
    • Super-Objective - The overarching human need ("The need to find true love and security from a man because it was never felt during my childhood," for example) that is pushing the character through the entire story.
    • Objective - The most immediate goal or need (what the character is DOING) that will help achieve the super-objective.
    • Tactic - Ways at which objectives are accomplished. For instance, to win the love of your scene partner (objective), you may need to flirt, cajole, tease, entertain, seduce, etc.
    • Drive - What propels the character through the scene. Another way of thinking about objective.
    • Motivation - The WHY behind the drive, objective, or super-objective.
    • Obstacle - What is hindering the character from achieving his objective. Obstacles are often internal (fear of failure, etc.).
    • Beat - A unit of the script or scene, determined by the actor, where one tactic starts then ends.
    • Moment to Moment - To remain fully present, engaged and listening, to create the illusion that what is happening is happening for the first time and is completely spontaneous.
    • Affective Memory/Emotional Recall - A an emotional preparation technique to reactivate the emotional/psychological experience of a past event you believe is experientially parallel to the emotional/psychological life of a character.
    • Thought Pause - When the actor uses a pause to get to the next thought/line of dialogue.
    • Moment Before - What has transpired before the scene being presented. Often, this "moment before energy/knowledge" is essential for the current scene.
    • Transition - Something that will need to occur in order to get to the next character thought. Sometimes found between beats.
    • Emphasis Pause - A pause used to emphasize a point.
    • R.I.P.D. - Rate, Inflection, Pitch, Dynamics - A quick way to spice up any piece of dialogue when things are feeling stale (credit Tom Todoroff).
    • Psychological Gesture.
    • Blocking - The movement necessary for the scene.
    • Marks - Exact places for the actor to be in (often marked by tape), so they can be in focus. As in, "hitting your marks."
    • "Picture is Up." - Means that things on the camera side are getting close to filming.
    • "Action" - When said by your director, this means that all is ready, and the scene can begin.
    • "Back to One," "Going Again," Resetting." - When said (typically the 1st AD) by the crew, it means you are to go back to where the scene started, and begin again.
    • "Off-book" - You know the material so well, that you don't need to look at the script. AKA, "memorized."
    • "Sides" - The portion of the script used in auditions.
    • "Lines" - Your scripted dialogue.
    • "Cue" - The stimulus which prompts your action or line.
    • "Cue Line" - The line that another actor says before yours.
    • "Pick up your cue" - Take out the air between the cue line (or cue stimulus) and your next line.
    • "Improvise"  To make up dialogue rooted in the circumstances.
    Other Resources:
    • Jason Bennett's Encylcopedia